Best Family Dogs: 12 Breeds That Are Great With Kids

The right family dog becomes a childhood best friend. The best ones share a few traits: patience, a gentle nature, sociability and enough tolerance for the chaos of family life. Here are twelve breeds with a strong reputation for being great with children, plus how to choose well.

12 great family breeds

1. Labrador Retriever, the quintessential family dog: friendly, patient, playful and eager to please.
2. Golden Retriever, gentle, loving and famously good with children.
3. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, small, affectionate and sweet-natured; great for smaller homes.
4. Beagle, cheerful, sturdy and sociable (just be ready for the energy and the barking).
5. Poodle (Standard or Miniature), clever, trainable and low-shedding, so good for allergy-conscious families.
6. Boxer, playful, protective and endlessly patient with kids.
7. Bernese Mountain Dog, a gentle giant, calm and affectionate (with a shorter lifespan to be aware of).
8. Newfoundland, the “nanny dog,” famously sweet and tolerant (and enormous).
9. Bulldog, placid, sturdy and low-energy; happy in a busy household.
10. Collie, gentle, intelligent and devoted (needs exercise and grooming).
11. Vizsla, affectionate and energetic; brilliant for active families who love the outdoors.
12. Mixed-breed rescue, often the best of all: shelters can match a dog’s known temperament to your family.

Small breeds work too

Great things come in small packages, Bichon Frise, Pug and Havanese are affectionate, sturdy little companions. Very tiny, delicate breeds can be a fragile fit for homes with toddlers, so factor in your children’s ages.

How to choose the right family dog

• Temperament over looks. Ask the breeder or shelter about the individual dog’s personality around children.
• Match energy to your family. A busy, outdoorsy family suits a Labrador or Vizsla; a calmer home suits a Cavalier or Bulldog.
• Consider grooming and shedding, and any allergies in the household.
• Meet the dog with your kids before committing.
• Adopt where you can, rescues make wonderful family dogs, and staff can guide the match.

Safety first: dogs and children

Even the gentlest dog needs sensible ground rules:

• Never leave young children and dogs unsupervised, however trusted the dog.
• Teach children to be gentle, to leave a dog alone while eating or sleeping, and to read “I’ve had enough” signals.
• Give the dog a safe retreat (a crate or bed) that children learn is off-limits.
• Involve the kids in care and reward-based training, it builds a wonderful bond.

The bottom line

Labradors, Goldens, Cavaliers, Poodles and gentle giants like the Bernese and Newfoundland top most family-dog lists for good reason, but temperament, energy match and good supervision matter more than breed. Choose the individual dog that suits your family’s pace, set clear rules between kids and dog, and you’ve the makings of a lifelong friendship.